Trouser Side Pockets

Jack, ate these traditional gents slacks type pockets? What I do is assemble the pocket bag and attach to the front of the trouser leg before sewing the side seam. Then I just clean finish the edge (wide zigzag in the old days, serger now) and press it flat. Then I press the seam to the back and top stitch down the back piece about 1/4" from the seam line. For suit trousers (where you don't want top stitching) I assemble the pocket bag in the same way and clean finish the edge of each piece before sewing and pressing the side seam, which gets pressed open.

For casual inseam pockets, you attach the front half and back half of the pocket bag to each half of the leg, clean finish that bit of seam, and then sew the side/pocket seam in one, clean finish the edge, and press the whole thing to the front.

Hope this helps - yell if you want more details. I take it you aren't using a commercial pattern with instructions?

I hear David Page Coffin has a new book out about making perfect men's trousers. He used to be on the Threads editorial staff. His shirt book was awesome so I expect the trouser book to be of equal quality. For men's clothing, there's nothing like a man's experience.

Phae

I guess but I am having trouble understanding the definitions of pockets.

It is an inseam pocket but it is slanted a bit as a result of the way the front is attached to the back facing. It is about an inch forward of the side seam so I do not know if this qualifies as a slant pocket.

I have worked over several instrustion sets and they all are different enough to create some confusion.

The Simplicity instructions in the basic pattern makes the bag with facings attached, French seam and then stitches this into the side seams. The problem is at the bottom of the opening, all seams end at the dot but it is impossible to layer things neatly and I usually end up with an opening I can stick my finger through.

The Reader's Digest book has a two piece bag, each piece of which is stitched to the appropriate side before constructing the pocket.

CTT is a variation on the first but the pocket is vertical and hard to get the hand into and the waist came out too small because of the lack of that one inch space described above.

I just did the second pocket on shorts I am making and stitched the two sides of the bag in and then did the French seam and this seems to have worked much better. I also went about an inch below the the dot and wonder if this might be the whole problem, vis., stitching up to and down from the dot as in Simplicity provedes no overlap.

Is this French seamed already?

I am leaving the rest of this so I can send it to myself and read off line.

................

Then I just clean finish the edge (wide

I have the shirt book and find it a great read but hard to follow his actual instructions.

I also have reached a brick wall with regard to the narrow hemmer which he claims one should not bother making shirts without one.

I have three of them and have never been able to do anything useful with them.

js

OK, well the book does assume a certain degree of requisite skill. Perhaps you could take a private lesson on how to use those feet, and some of the more intermediate sewing skills. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes with an advanced teacher and you're on your way! My hemmers work exceedingly well. But....... you do have to get a feel for using them, for matching the right size with your fabric, knowing how to start, finish and go over seams, and knowing how to hold the fabric and feed it in at the proper angle.

Here are some pix of some seams so you will know it is possible to do very neat rolled and flat-felled seams on a home machine, and how they should look. These were all done on my 20+ year old Bernina 931 and are all scanned, hence the wrinkling. You will never achieve seams like this by hand. The first is the intersection of two 1/8" flat-felled seams. The vertical is the sleeve/side seam and the horizontal is the armhole seam. The second is another similar intersection on a different shirt with the armhole seam closer to 1/4", using a different feller. The third is at the yoke/armhole seams. And the fourth is at the lower hem done with a rolled hemmer. All it takes is a little guidance, some practice and a little patience. You can do it. :)

Phae

Phae, where did you post the photos, please? It has been years since I've used hemmer feet. In October, I will soon have a brand-new baby girl great niece and will need to use the hemmer for clothing I have planned to make her. Thanks. Emily

A traditional slant pocket is formed at the side seam. The top of the pocket, where the front of the trouser joins the back is an inch or so forward of the side seam, to allow access. The bit of the pocket bag thus exposed is disguised with a facing in the face (outer) fabric.

The best I have seen so far were those in the Vogue gents suit pattern.

Which pattern number is this?

Not finished to look like suit or slacks pockets, then.

The inch should in no way be added to the waist circumference: it is taken OFF the front of the trousers to expose the inside of the pocket with the face fabric applied to disguise it. It sounds like a misreading of the instructions has lead to this inch being closed up rather than allowed to lie flat.

I'm not at all sure what you are getting at. I stitch the pocket in place, from top to bottom, then start at the waistband, swivel at a point 5/8ths down the pocket bag, go round it to a similar point at the bottom of the pocket, swivel again and continue down the seam.

This makes a great pocket for summer shorts, dresses, and anywhere that a loose but hidden pocket can be let into a seam.

No French seams involved. They are too bulky for this, and don't go well round the pocket curves.

:)

I think he uses them for making felled seams. It takes a lot of practice... I find it easier, quicker, and neater to press the seam allowance in place and use a standard foot.

Jack,

I've always had so much trouble getting the roll started with my narrow hemmer feet that using them hardly seems worth it, unless there are yards and yards of ruffles, or something similar, to be hemmed.

With shirts, I simply turn up a very narrow bit (usually a tad over

1/8") as I go, and stitch, then turn that stitched edge up and stitch again. With just a little practice you can get a very presentable narrow hem that way. Two lines of stitching show on the wrong side, but that doesn't bother me.

It's neater to hem the fronts and back separately before sewing the side seams...also, when there are front bands I hem the fronts before attaching the bands...otherwise there are way too many thicknesses for me to be able to turn up a narrow hem of any kind.

This is a shirt for DD, finished except for buttonholes and buttons that I'll shop for tomorrow...(I already found some that are perfect, but they are $3.80 for a card of 3, and I need 8 buttons. Yikes! can't justify that.)

Doreen in Alabama

Oh good grief, I forgot to post the URL. So sorry! It's the first four pics.

Oh is that lovely!

Some practice, not a lot.... with decent feet and the correct technique that is. There is definitely a technique. I learned from an expert when I bought my first Bernina. It's the kind of thing they are supposed to teach you in the introductory classes that come with a Bernina. Maybe there is a videotape of felling and rolled hemming around.

Felling is a two-step deal.. no pressing necessary because you want the seam to stand up while you run it thru the felling foot. You'll never get a quick eighth (or even one quarter) inch felled seam without a good foot. But you have to cut the correct (uneven) seam allowances.

The thing with both felling and rolled hemming is that you have to do a practice run on the fabric you are using to make sure you are using the correct size foot. Slight differences in fabric weight can make a significant difference with the felling foot. I have five felling feet now. Two of them are just generics I screw on to a Bernina foot clamp.

Phae

Thanks, Phae! I'm still second-guessing myself about using the stripe crosswise on the collar and cuffs...but it's done now.

I think it's an outstanding line, and am making DD #3 a short sleeved shirt of one of the other prints.

Doreen in Alabama

Two similar, but not identical, feet. I have only the tiny rolled hem foot, and like Phaedrine find it rather difficult.

You must be thinking of someone else. I do not find it difficult at all on my machine with my feet.

Very smooth and neat! Obviously you know what you're doing with those feet.

I confess to not owning any felling feet. As I think I said once before, none of the shirts I make DH are dress shirts, so I can get by with plain seams, overlocked. My semi-regular assignment that requires flat felled seams, which just get done the old fashioned way, is...

horse tailbags. :)

Doreen in Alabama

Your daughter is a horse-lover, I presume from the beautiful pics of the sewing techniques. DGD is 7, and rides in shows often. she loves her horses. Emily

Emily,

All three of my daughters have loved horses all their lives, and they own/breed/show horses. I think it's a religion with them! Sounds like your DGD has been bitten by the same bug. Could be a lot worse, couldn't it?

Doreen in Alabama